Shuttle picking mechanism



Mayo, 1939. A, MOEsslNGER 4 2,160,339

SHUTTLE PWIGKING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 9, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l lbs /2 i 53 W//M May 30, 1939. A. MoEsslNGER 2,160,339

SHUTTLE PICKING MECHANISM l Filed Feb. s, 19:57 2 sheets-sheete Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED STATES- PATENT orrlcr.

l 2,160,339 snu'r'rln Home. MECHANISM Albert Moessinger, Zurich, Switzerland, assignor to Sulzer Freres Societe Anonyme, Winterthur,

Switzerland Application February 9, 1937, smal No. 124,847

In Switzerland February 8. 1936 y 24 Claims.l (Ci. lfm- 145) providing a spring driven shuttle picking mechanism causing rapidacceleration of the shuttle in which shocks and vibrations and wear caused thereby are reduced if not eliminated and long life ot the mechanism is assured and by means of which the operating speed of the loom can be increased.

\ Another object of the present invention is to provide a spring driven shuttle picking mechanism for loom's having relatively small gripper shuttles, which mechanism causes rapid acceleration of the shuttle and in which mechanism the surplus energy available in the mechanism after the pick is usefully employed.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a spring driven shuttle picking mechanism causing rapid acceleration of the shuttle, in which mechanism the surplus energy available after the pick is either destroyed without any mechanical shock action or accumulated for further use. f

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a shuttle picking mechanism as set forth in the paragraph next above, the surplus energy of which vis transmitted by a liquid and destroyed in a dash pot like means or the surplus energy ofy which is transmitted by a gaseous medium and destroyed by throttling said medium.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a spring driven shuttle picking mechanism causing rapid acceleration of the shuttle in which surplus energy is destroyed or absorbed by mechanical friction, whereby mechanical shoc and wear are eliminated.

Another object of the present invention resides in providing a spring driven shuttle picking' means causing rapid acceleration of the shuttle in which release of the spring is effected by toggle joint means, whereby the mass action of said means serves to reduce the shock caused by the clearance between the shuttle and the picker without reduction of the power stored in the spring for picking the shuttle.

Further and other objects of the present invention will be hereinafter set forth in the accompanying specification and claims and shown in the drawings, which, by way of illustration,

. show what I nowc'onsider to be a preferred em- 5" bodiment of my' invention.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic part sectional show -y ing of a mechanism according to the present invention.

. 10 Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the pressure of the spring for operating the mechanism according to Fig. 1, the braking forces, and the forces acting on the picker of such mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic part sectional showl5* ing of a modified present invention. A Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the forces which are active in a mechanism according to Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side view of another modiiication' of a mechanism according to the present invention.

Fig. 6 is another view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. is a diagram showing the forces which mechanism according to the are active in a mechanism accordingtoFigs. 5 25 and 6.

Fig. 8 shows a detail of the mechanism shown in Figs. 5 and 6. I

Likeparts aredesignated by like numerals in j all figures oi the drawings.

. 30 In the modication of the present invention the stationary member 1; the other end of spring' 40 6 rests on plate 8 which is adjustably connected to rod 4. To fulcrum 9 which is rigidly connected with the picking lever i, piston Il is connected by means of link i0. Piston ll is movable within a guide i2 which forms part of a container i3 andA 4 which is filled witha liquid, for example, oil. Coaxial with guide i2 is the cylinder i6 in the bottom wall of container I3. Until piston li reaches the cavity iii it produces practically no braking eiect, i. e., it is light running or carries outa 50 lost motion. Cylinder I4 is connected for uid flow with the interior of container i3 by means of channels i5 and i'i, the former of -which is normally closed by means of spring loaded valve i6. IThe end part of piston I i is hollow and open and is provided with a valve IB for closing the end opening. Valve I9 is normally held in closed position by means of spring I8. It opens when piston II moves upwards, i. e., when picker I returns to picking. position; the interiorof container I3 is then connected with the interior of cylinder I4 by means of bores 20.

The lever system consisting o f parts 2l and 22, which parts are interconnected by hinge 23, forms a toggle joint. One end of part 2l is linked to a stationary part of the loom, and one end of part 22 is linked to the picker lever I. In outstretched position, lever 2I, 22 holds spring 6 in tensioned position and picker I in a position ready to pick. Upon movem'ent of arrow 24 by means which do not foi-m part of this invention and are, therefore, not shown, -the toggle joint is unlocked and spring 6 released so that picker I can swing to the left.

The operation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 is as follows:

In the position shown is ready to pick shuttle 25. Release of picker I is eiected by moving hinge 23 in the direction of arrow 24, whereby lever I snaps in the direction of arrow 2 6 under the influence of spring 6. By making hinge 23 heavy, acceleration4 of picker lever I is at first retarded so that its knocking effect on the shuttle 25 is cushioned. According to the present invention, the energy remaining in the picking mechanism after the pick is gradually absorbed and destroyed. For this purpose, a special arrangement is provided which acts during the second part s2 of the stroke of the picker. s2 is at least A of the total stroke s3 of the picker. The rst part of the stroke of the picker, namely, the part during which the pick@ moves from position I to position II and acts on shuttle 25 is the working part and is designated by s1. During this part of the picker stroke the brake is light running or carries out a lost motion. When the pickerhas reached position II, piston II is in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and designated by numeral II, i. e., with its lower end adjacent to the upper opening of cylinder I4. Upon further downward movement of piston II into cylinder I4, it must push liquid out of cylinder I4 I1. The movement of piston II and the parts connected thereto is thereby retarded. The braking effect during the motion of piston II and picker I from position II to position III is shown by curve b in Fig. 2. The abscissae of Fig. 2 represent the path of the picking end of picker I and the ordinates, in the case of curve b, the braking force, for example, in l-bs., in the case of line p, the force exerted by the expanding spring 6 on rod 4, and in the case of dotted curve c, the force effectively acting on picker I, which force is the difference between the force p and the force b, i. e., p-b. When picker I is in the position III, plate 8 is in the position shown in dotted lines, in Fig. 1. The mechanism for returning picker I from position III to position I and for compressing spring 6 is not shown because it is not part of the present invention. At

the return movement of picker I, pistonvl I moves upwards, whereby a vacuum is created in cyl'- inder I4, which vacuum causes opening of valve I9 so that liquid can now from chamber I3 into cylinder I4 through channels 20 in piston II and foaming of the liquid in chamber I3 is prevented.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in hinge 23 in the direction of" in solid lines, picker I through valve I6 and channel V Fig. 3 of the drawings, air or a gas is used for braking picker I. A connecting rod 30 is linked with one end to picking lever I by means of stud 5 and with the other end to crosshead 3 I, whereby the movement of picker I is transmitted to an extension connected with piston 32. A spring 6 is arranged between piston 32 and one end of casing 33.

The device shown in Fig. 3 operates as follows:

The resilient means or spring E' shown in Fig. 3 is in compressed condition. Upon release of this spring by means not shown, the picking mechanism moves from position I to the left to position II under the inuence of a force which is shown in the diagram Fig. 4 by line p. In

Fig. 4, the abscissae indicate the path of the working end of picking lever I or the path of piston 32. The ordinates represent forces, for example, lbs. Movement of the mechanism from position I to position II constitutes the working stroke s1 of the mechanism. Upon movement of piston 32, air is compressed in the braking chamber 34 which is at the left of piston 32 as seen in Figure 3 in the cylinder casing, 33 according to curveb shown in Fig. 4, and a pressure is exerted on piston 32 which .acts counter to the pressure exerted by spring 6'. Between positions I and II, the influence of pressure b' is small. At a movement of piston 32 beyond position II, this counterpressure becomes noticeable. As soon as piston 32 has reached position III, i. e., has completed the retarding stroke s2, compression or braking chamber 34 is connected for air or gas flow with the auxiliary chamber 36 in the rear of the piston by means of the braking pressure control means consisting, in the embodiment of the present invention shown in Fig. 3, of recesses or cavitics 31 provided in the interior wall of casing 33, whereby the compressed air or gas expands into auxiliary chamber 36 and the energy accumulated in the air or gas is destroyed. Incase the braking force exerted on the mechanism when it reaches position III is not sufficient to bring it to a. standstill, upon further movement of piston 32 to the left to position IV, an additional air cushion is built up whichiinally stops the mechanism. s3 indicates the total normal stroke of the picking mechanism. Return movement of piston 32 and picker lever I may be effected by any known mechanism, for example, as shown in my copending application Ser. No. 90,962. In the position ready for the pick, which position is desighated by numeral I in Fig. 3, chambers 34 and 36 are interconnected for air or gas flow by means of braking chamber or casing filling means which consist, in the embodiment of the present invention shown in Fig. 3, of recesses or cavities 38 provided in the interior wall of casing 33. In order to further control the contents of chamber 36, a channel or conduit 40 is provided which connects chamber 36 with the outside. It terminates with its inner end in the sliding sur` face for the extension of piston 32 which extension terminates in the crosshead 3I and flow of air or gas through conduit 40 is controlled by the movements of said crosshead. Upon inward 'movement of the latter, channel 40Yat first remains open, whereby inflow of air and start of the working stroke is facilitated. At furthest movement to the left of crosshead 3|, the mouth of channel 40 is closed and a vacuum created in chamber 36, whereby the movement of the picking mechanism is retarded.

Figures 5 to 8 show a third modification o f theu present invention. Picking lever I is keyed to one end of a torsion spring 4I; the other end of this spring is rigidly connected with a stationary member 42. One end of a connecting rod 44 is linked to lever l by means of stud 43. The-other end of connecting rod 44 is revolvably connected with crank 45 of shaft 46. Two brake members and 5| are individually revolvably connected to stationary studs 48 and 49, respectively. 'I'hese brake members are individually pressed lto the crank disc 54 by means of springs 52 and 53, respectively. Brake members 50 and 5l are so shaped that turning of crank shaft 46 is possible in the direction of arrow 55 and prevented in the opposite direction. To shaft 46, another shaft 46' is coaxially connected by means of a claw coupling 56. Shaft 46', which may be driven by means of a chain wheel 5l, is provided with a claw 58 which cooperates with a claw 59 which is connected to shaft 46 and causes revolution of the latter shaft in the direction of arrow 60. These details are shown in Fig. 8.

The operation of the picker mechanism shown in Figs. 5 to 8 is as follows:

The position in which picker i is shown in Fig. 6 is its rest position. In order to increase the tension of spring lll, picker l is moved by means of crank 45 into the position designated by Roman I in Fig. 6. In the position of the picker shown in solid lines in Fig. 6, claw 58 abuts4 against claw 59 so that shaft 46 moves shaft 46 and picker i immediately when wheel 5I is revolved. In position I oi picker l, connecting rod 44 is just a little beyond its right dead center position. The tension of spring 4i increases as shown in the diagram Fig. 7, in which the abscissae indicate the stroke s of picker l and the ordinates of line b the. tension p of spring 4l, for example, in lbs. After passing the right dead center position, i. e., position I of rod ed, picker l snaps to the left, first into position II, in which position the tension of spring 4i is zero, and under the influence of inertia forces into position III, whereby spring 4l is again twisted and its tension increased. This tension and the inertia forces still remaining in the crank system return picker l from position III into the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 6 so that the kinetic energy of the picker mechanism, with the exception of the energy lost by friction, is again accumulated in spring 4I in the form of potential energy. If crank 45 tends to change its direction of rotation, this is prevented by the locking means 5U and 5I so that the energy remaining in the mechanism after the pick is caught in such manner that it can be used for the, next following working stroke and undesired vibrations of the picker are prevented.

The picking Vmechanisml remains blocked in the position shown in solid lines in Fig.` 6 until claw 58 again pushes claw 59 and the tension of spring 4I is increased for the next following pick.

While I believe ythe-above described embodiments of my invention to be preferred embodiments, I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of design and construction shown and described, forobvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

l. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto and adapted to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttles across the loom, brake means connected with said picker, said brake means comprising an operating medium, a cylinder, a

'piston adapted to operate in said cylinder, pressure control means connected with said cylinder for controlling the pressure of the'operating medium in said cylinder, cylinder. filling means which reil said cylinder with operating mediumv immediately after completion of the braking stroke of said lpiston and which operate independently f rom said pressure control means.

2. 'A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto and adapted to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means connected with said picker, said brake means comprising an operating medium, a cylinder, a piston adapted to operate in said cylinder, pressure control means connected with said cylinder for controlling the pressure of the operating medium in said cylinder, cylinder lling means connected with said piston which refill said cylinder with operating medium immediately after completion of the. braking stroke of said piston and which operate independently from said pressure control means. g

3. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected theretoV and adaptedV to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means connected withrsaid picker, said brake means comprising an operating medium, a cylinder, a piston adapted to operate in said cylinder, pressure control means connected with said cylinder for controlling the pressure of the operating medium in said cylinder, cylinder lling means which refill said cylinder with operating medium immediately after completion of the braking stroke of said piston and which operate independently from said pressure control means, a container containing said operating medium, said cylinder, piston, pressure control and lling means all being located within said container and immersed in said oper-= ating medium.

4. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for Weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto and adapted to periodically operate said `picker for picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means connected with said picker, said brake means comprising an operatingmedium, a cylinder, a piston adapted tooperate in said cylinder, pres-A sure control means connected with said cylinder for controlling the pressure of the operating medium -in said cylinder, cylinder filling means which refill said cylinder with operating medium immediately Yafter completion of the braking stroke of'said piston and whichoperate independently from said pressure controlvmeans, a containerl containing said operating medium and having abottom part which comprises said cylinder, said piston, pressure control and filling means all being located within said container and immersed in said operating medium.

5. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto andv trolling the pressure of the operating medium in said cylinder, cylinder filling means which refill said cylinder with operating medium immediately after completion of the braking stroke of said piston and which operate independently from said pressure control means, a container containing said operating medium, said cylinder being located within said container, and guide means with which said piston is movably connected for guld- 'ing said piston in a lost motion through said con-A tainer until it reaches said cylinder.

6. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving comprising a. picker, operating means connected thereto and adapted to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means connected with said picker, said brake means comprising a container containing an operating medium and having a buttom part with a cylinder built in, and a piston adapted to operate in said cylinder.

7. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed,

`high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto and adapted to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttle across the loom, ,brake means connected with said picker, said brake -means comprising a container containingan operating medium and having a bottom part with a cylinder built in, a Vpiston adapted to operate in said cylinder, and a guide means movably cooperating." with said piston and being connected with said container for guiding said piston ina lost motion until it reaches said cylinder. f

8. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected' thereto and adapted to periodically operatesaid picker for picking the shuttle across the/loom, hydraulic brake means connected with said picker and comprising a cylinder and a piston movable therein, brake force control means which control means make said brake means/substantially ineffective during the first part o/the picking stroke ofsaid picker, throttling and/filling means operating independently of om,M another and of said brake force control mean/s.

9. A shuttle picking, mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto for periodically operating said picker and picking the shuttle/across the loom, brake means operatively connected with said picker and comprising a cylinder and a piston moving therein. operating mediumoutlet control means connected with said cylinder for controlling t-he escape of operating medium from said cylinder, and cylinder` lling means for' iilling said cylinder with operating medium, said outlet control means and said lling means operating completely independently of one another.

10. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto for periodically operating said picker and picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means operatively connected with said picker and comprising a cylinder and a piston moving therein, operating medium outlet control means connected with said cylinder for controlling the escape of operating medium fromsaid cylinder, and supply means for unobstructed supply of operating medium tosaid cylinder, said supply means being controlled by said piston and separated thereby from the pressure side of said piston during the entire ybraking stroke of said piston.

ling means operatingcompletely independently of one another, and brake force control means which are controlled by said piston and nvllify the brake force during the rst part of the picking stroke of said picker.

12. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected 'thereto and adapted to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means adapted to be operated by a gaseous medium and being operatively connected with said picker, said brake means including in combination a casing and a piston movable therein, medium pressure control means and casing filling means connected withy said casing and operating completely independent from one another with respect to the effect on the pressure of the medium in said cylinder.

13. A shuttle 'picking mechanism for high speed, high capacityA looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto and adapted to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means adapted to be operated by a gaseous medium and being operatively vconnected with said picker, said brake means including in combination a cylinder and a piston movable therein, medium pressure control means and cylinder filling means connected with said picker, said brake means including in combination a cylinder and a piston movable therein, medium pressure control means and cylinder lling means connected with said cylinder and being operated through the movement of said piston and operating completely independent from one another with respect to the effect on the pressure of the medium in said cylinder.

14. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto and adapted to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttle across the`loom, brake for picking the shuttle across the loom, brakel means adapted. to be operated by a gaseous medium and being operatively connected with said picker, said brake means including in combination a cylinder and a piston lmovable therein, medium pressure control means and cylinder filling means connected with said cylinder and being operated through the movement of said piston, said medium pressure control means and said cylinder lling means being ineiective during a substantial part of the braking stroke of said piston. u

16. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto and adapted to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means adapted to be operated by a gaseous medium and being operatively connected with said picker, said brake means including in combination a casing and a piston movable therein, medlum pressure control means and vcasing lling means connected with said casing and being operated through the movement of said piston,

said medium pressure control means and said casing fllling means operating consecutively and independently from one another with respect to the eiect on' the pressure of the medium in said casing.-

1'7. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto and adapted to periodically operate .said ypicker for picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means adapted to be operated by a gaseous medium'and being operatively connected with said picker, said brake means including in combination a cylinder and apiston movable therein, medium pressure control means and cylinder lling means connected with said cylinder and being operated through thev movement of said piston, said medium pressure control means and said cylinder filling means being ineffectiveduring a substantial part of the braking stroke of said piston and operating independently from one another with respect to the eiect on the pressure of the medium in said cylinder.

1,8. A shuttle picking lmechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto and adapted to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means adapted to be operated by a gaseous medium and being operatively connected with said picker, said brake means including, in combination, a casing, a piston movable in said casing and dividing said casing into a braking chamber and an auxiliary chamber, and piston controlled braking chamber filling means interconnecting both said chambers at a predetermined position of said piston.

19. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed. high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto and adapted to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means adapted to be operated by a gaseous medium andv being operatively connected with said picker, said brake means including in combination a cylinder, a piston movable in said cylinder and dividing said cylinder into a braking chamber and an auxiliary chamber, and a plurality of independently piston controlled braking pressure control means connected with said cylinder and interconnecting both said chambers at predetermined positions of said piston. l

20. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for Weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto and, adapted to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means adapted to be operated by a gaseous meboth said chambers at a predetermined position of4 said piston, and a piston controlled braking pressure control means interconnecting both said chambers at another position of said piston.

2l. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto and adapted to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means adapted to be operated by a gaseous 'medium and being operatively connected with said picker, said brake means including in combination a casing having a braking end which is completely closed and an auxiliary end which is also closed and provided with a conduit for mediumv flow into and from said casing, a piston movable in said casing and dividing said casing into a braking chamber and an auxiliary chamber, an extension connected with said piston and extending through said auxiliary chamber and controlling medium flow through said conduit, and piston controlled braking pressure control means connected with said casing and interconnecting both said chambers at predetermined positions oi said piston.

22. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto and adapted to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means adapted to be operated by a gaseous medium and being operatively connected with said picker, said brake means including in combination a cylinder, a piston movablein said cylinder and dividing said cylinder into a braking chamber and an auxiliary chamber, a plurality of independently piston controlled braking pressure control means connected with said cylinder and interconnecting lboth said chambers at predetei-mined positions of said piston, and resilient ing a picker, operating means connected thereto and adapted to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means adapted to be operated by a gaseous medium and being operatively connected with said` picker, said brake means including, in combination, a casing, a piston movable in said casing and dividing said-casing into a braking chamber and an auxiliary chamber, piston controlled braking chamber Yiilling means interconnecting both said chambers at a predetermined 4position of said piston in said auxiliary chamber and being connected with said pistonand said casing for actuating said piston.

24. A shuttle picking mechanism for high speed, high capacity looms for Weaving comprising a picker, operating means connected thereto and adapted to periodically operate said picker for picking the shuttle across the loom, brake means adapted to be operated by a gaseous medium and being operatively connected with said picker, said brake means including in combination a casing having a braking end which is means connected with said casing and interconnecting both said chambers at predetermined positions of said piston, and resilient means situated in said auxiliary chamber and around said extension and -being connected with said piston and said casing for counteracting the medium pressure in said braking chamber.

ALBERT MOESSINGER. 

